10 Art Masterpieces You Can Only See in Berlin

The Head of Christ was painted in 1648 by renowned Dutch artist, Rembrandt, during the baroque period. This portrait, based on a Jewish model, is a turning point in the artist’s work and can be seen hanging in the Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery) in Berlin. As a matter of fact, the Gemäldegallerie has one of the greatest art collections in the world, and many of the masterpieces included on our list can be found there. Discover The Head of Christ,as well as 16 other works by Rembrandt at Berlin’s Picture Gallery.

This heartbreaking depiction of pain comes from Käthe Kollwitz, Germany’s most celebrated female artist. Kollwitz’s work revolves around the struggles of the working class in her poverty-stricken neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg. This was around the time of the First World War – the same neighbourhood that has since evolved into one of Berlin’s trendiest and most upmarket locations. This drawing of a mother holding her dead son (and a sculpture on the same subject) now sits in the Neue Wache, a memorial in Central Berlin to remember the many lives lost in the war.

According to art historians, this gorgeous oil dreamscape – the work of German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich, dates all the way back to 1808–1810. It was painted while the artist himself was living in Dresden. Today, the oil painting can be viewed at the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery).

The crowning feature from the Neues Museum’s grand art collection of ancient artifacts is by far the Bust of Nefertiti, the Egyptian Queen from 1300 BC. This iconic sculpture was first discovered by a German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt in 1912, and is believed to have been crafted by the sculptor, Thutmose in 1345 BC. Over the years, the sculpture’s ownership has been the subject of controversy between Egypt and Germany over Egypt’s demands for its repatriation.

Pablo Picasso‘s Seated Harlequin is housed in a private collection at the Museum Berggruen, which offers an impressive public display of classical modern works. The museum also offers a broad perspective of Picasso’s artistic development, from his humble beginnings in 1897 when he was just 16-years-old, through to his blue-and-rose period, and his dramatic Cubism years.

Das Eisenwalzwerk, which translates to Iron Rolling Mill, was painted by Adolph von Menzel in 1875. Though Menzel was famed for painting historical battle scenes and military processions, this work depicts the industrial revolution that hit Germany with full force in the late 19th century. You can see it in Berlin’s Alte Nationalgalerie, along with many other traditional works by Menzel.